Parachute harness connector



Nov. 41947. ML JOHNSTON 2,430,341

. PARACHUTE HARNESS CONNECTOR Filed May 51, 1944 l Patented Nov. 4, 19.47

Lawrence Maf- J ohnstana glmliananolis, 1nd.; as.: `f signorftqfLa'wrence. M'. Johnston-,vas: trustee-j AppiieatioaMayei; 1944gsria12Nd. 538,13411 The presentiinventioharelatesitoia :parachutew inwhichPisgournallediicrlosc-llationfa member. I2 s harnesssconnectorianckeheaprimary object; there havina'a stemIS: to whichissecured a hand lever-1. o:;isto'rprovid'eia ixquick-releag-'setzdevc'e` for--secur-* I by meansLof;ia.`pir1-."I5l,foriithellike:yk The `lever; ing. the- D-hookse-atxtlie'lvzendsfao -thesstrapscf ai If ilsLformedIto'proVidehub whchls journalld harness'wherebyfa mara'chutistsfrconnectdto 5 inka .suitabilelibearing',apertureil6. formedinJthe lehnte, lsofthat, althoughrtheharneessis :rn'rlye frontwall of 4the', bdyl Il and it will benoted thatf and securely"heidefinliplacewatiall-idesiredltimesg@ the member I2'. lik=',wi's`e.y n'dsfa liournal-bearin'g and .although :the ,deifice-isiguardedsagainst.acci:1 upon:Ithefsurface*- .I 'IL 'within theccavity I Iu 'of they-.1 dental-foperatiom-v nevertheless theeparachutist' bodyilfcan;l wh'enilheifis. 'read-51,.y instantaneously `releasel` The .bodyli ais-formed with ra plurality 'cofperimly thev strapsrofwthewharnesspfthus. .disconnectings; etrallyL-I spaced! outwardly opening wsockets Ig himself ffromehisichuteaf. I9; ZEE and 2L, and itls tolbe noted-that I prefer f Amongithe .majorl obj ectss. othe; inventonfare i to. locate thaso'cleets'-I S and. '-I 9'l iperilpherallyV Closed theuprovisi-o-nzoga ldevice:effi-.Mie characteradesg togethenf the;angularA `inlt'erfvalbetween said-'- scribed-,Which 'shallsurequreir only-a very,s1ight 15"; sockets`=be"ng-pr rablylessibtlfia 160915 movementorthezactuatingfmechanismfto release, sockets Z and 12 If are 'similarly SDaGBd'rOmeaChthe harness, and which the degree of stress ape; otherawhereby thestraps attached tomen-hooks plied tof the partsoethefconnectoi: by the harness 22=,23li24`1,land125 TwillleadisubstantiallystraightstrapswillV not materiailyiaffectrftheiease ofactu'al-i away from :the connectorA to"- -the--`pcints`-at` which if tica-of then'eleaseime'chani'sm,Lnrwhichzthefpullf 20kv they `pass overfithe iWearers shoulders `'oraleouton the harness straps `isgsappliedf1ftcrlthe; latch hiSf1gS`fmeans in sucheJ directi'enrasactuallyto `fa'cil1 ;ate Suitable-boresare provdediinlthe'- bdyllformovementcfztheglatch:elements tozhookfreleasingi; the vaccommodationi of.- fulcrum m1151525, i 21V 232 position, fini Yiivhich' theestrls` may-be; assoc-atedgi ari- 2119' located ivi-thin the `respectivesock'ei'ys I 8;" I 91? withthelatch. elementsfregaidlessloffthe'positions 25` 26d-and '2 l ari-ditl'avrsing A17h65 Sans'eah Ofi Said* of@ theblocliina means andiinewnich;autheiabove i pins providing a :pivotal mounting for one off-the`A desirelile-feat1l-resGa "rwcrpmated in, a simplen latches 301, 3I-; 32;-1-arid332l mechans .1501? gdimensicnsminimu 5 Except-forene feature, whichf'willlaeldescribed' weight, and minimum complexity of openaitiiigt he'rfeinater-,ithesaid 1latch`e1e`me'nts ar'e1-identicalg j parts. Further objectsioftheignvention .wilhap- 30' arieh therefore on-l-y one -s illustrated; and Will Abe pear.asthe*description,plgoeeeds described5 irl-detail@ A Td theg-accomplishmentf of..theaabgvermet re-.f Thellatch 3Ilisformed with a nQtchSjepening lated objects; .,rnyt'inv entic:ne maya'lo-e,ernbodiecbinff throughitsperiphery,sadnotch beingl so located thedorm,.iilustratehin the;.accompanyngadrawp thatg inl one 'positio'n of the -lat'ch element, l :its`= ings,attentionbeingfcalled tetheiactghoweie r 35 mcuth isfguarded by-a 4wall-ofthe socketi-I-, that :the drawingsarea illustrative ,Onlyfiand that while l in fanether- `position `of'-'A 'the latch-element,

change .manbamade in therspecic 4 construction@ itsW `moutlfi `opens ftiirough j the mouthfof 4*the illustratedzanddescribed.soflongasythefscopezfofa socket IIsee" Ei's-.fZ and-`6)f Theperipheryj theappended claims is not violated?- of the latch* element is further formed to' provide Fig.A V1 isa transizerse,sectionifadeenlsubstantiallyTj 40 a surface one portionL 3536i which issubstafntially" on the line I-I of Fgf 5; concentric with ythe'lon-26E-and which mergesitfitl'i Figs; is Aan axial sectionltalien substantially pn ariothenportiong-v36 -`vvhich`fprogress-vely `retreats channel-.2 fFgll; frmsaid'axi'sland' terminatesf'ina substantially Fig`. 3 is a fzragmentalgyiew similar?tofilgll but radial gportio'nj A '-sp'ring l=38fhasfone-:endif shewingthalS'rl a difff izer'i't'pasition; 4 45:r anchored-'upon a liulof--'L Iprojecting jfromthe j' Figj. 4 frontfelevationpf thelevce'of th member-12'; A'and -itsg other 'end ant'zhoredatV '4llf'j present invention; upon-the latch 30; at a `peint eccentrictojthe axis'fA Fig; 5 is ahorizontalsection taken'substantially 'i of lthe pin-26; wherebysaidf"spring= 38' rgessaid on the `line '+-5 of'liig'g'laridQ latch resiliently toward thepostinjjof-*Ffg's sie; 6 'is a fragmentaifsectoxlal www; teken ,'50 The member 1l 2^ is formed with 'a plllfaltif .0f e UDCH a plerliparalllwithth :Plane Qfzthe upper radiallyfppenins recesses er Socketsionjefof whichf portion', Qf'FigSZ, withithefparis.inhookreleasine L; 4 i', isillujstrated i] Fie: 2. `E Reciprocablyimounted positionxj- I' injjth'e recess 4I 'fsa plungernd resllentiy urged ,j

In: th. ,illnstrated;@mbddirnentiofmyiinrentieit.-1 radially cutwardlyby a .Serinei Saidv Muneer 1 I providea body'J'IOiformed"Witha rear cavity'I I `55"42'is formed tol proviclea surface 44"Which,when

. 3 the parts are in the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, engages the surface 31 of the latch element 3Q to block said element against movement out of the illustrated position. Thus, the plunger :'52 may be referred to as a blocker means for the latch element 33. Said plunger t2 is further formed with a curved end surface 45 which, when the plunger is in its fully projected position, is engageable by the portion 36 of the peripheral surface of the cam element 30.

From an inspection of Fig. l, it will be seen that, when the member I2 is in its intermediate position, the axis of the socket M lies in the median plane of the latch 39. A similar socket i6 is similarly related to the latch 3|, and provides a mounting for a plunger l1 spring urged outwardly by a spring d8; and in the same way, a socket 49 mounts a plunger 50 influenced by a spring 5I in association with the latch 32 and 3, socket 52 mounts `a plunger 53 influenced by a spring 54 and associated with the latch 33. Each of these plungers, like the plunger d2, acts as blocker means for its associated latch element.

The body l2 is formed with an arcuate socket 55 in its forward surface, having a radial branch 56. A roller 51 is received therein and is mounted upon a pin 53 projecting through a radial slot 59 in the front surface of the body IE), said pin carrying a button 60 outside the body. Obviously, when the parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, the roller 51 acts to prevent movement of the member l2; but if said pin 58 is shifted radially inwardly through the slot 59, the roller 51 will be brought into registry with the socket 55 to permit limited oscillatory movement of the member I2 in either direction.

With the parts in the positions illustrated in Figs, 1 and 2, the hooks 22, 23, 24, and 25 will be solidly held in place by the latches 33, 3l 32, and 33. If, however, the roller 51 is moved into the socket 55, the member I2 can be moved, in either direction, through a limited arc. Thereby, the blocking plungers 47, 50, and 53 will be moved out of engagement with the surfaces 31', 31, and 31 of the latches 3l, 32, and 33, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. It is to be noted that these surfaces are narrower than the surface 31 of the latch element 3D, so that such movement of the member I2 does not disengage the plunger 42 from the latch surface 31. The moment the plungers 41, 50, and 53 are disengaged from the Asaid surfaces 31', 31, and 31', the latches 3l, 32, and 33 are free to swing about their axes to shift their notches into the position opening through the mouths of their respective sockets i9, 20 and 2l, whereby the hooks 23, 24, and 25 are released. The springs corresponding to the spring 38 bias the latch elements toward such movement, and of course any stress upon the straps attached to the said hooks will also tend to produce such movement. Thereby, the parachutist is completely released from his harness.

The surface 31 of the latch 30 is wide enough so that the limited movement of the member l2 does not disengage the plunger 42 from said surface; so that the hook 22 remains engaged with the connector. This is for the purpose of preventing loss of the connector, which thus remains attached to the harness.

However, if it is desired to remove the connector from the hook 22, a rod-like tool, indicated at 62 in Fig. 2, may be projected through a hole SI formed in the outer surface of the body l to engage the outer end of the plunger 42. The tool may thereupon be rocked to depress the snede-ii 4 plunger 42 until the surface 44 thereof is dis" engaged from the surface 31, whereupon the latch element 30 is free to swing to release the hook 22.

It will be obvious that, so long as the handle I4 remains in either of the dotted line positions indicated in Fig. 4, the hooks 22, 23, 2li, and 25 may be reengaged with the connector. That is, any one of the latches being in the position illustrated in Fig. 6, if a hook is pressed inwardly into its body socket, it will engage in the notch 34 of the associated latch and rotate that latch in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig, 6, to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. But it is desirable that said hooks be engageable with the connector even if the handle is in the solid-line position of Fig. 4.

All of the latches being in the position of Fig. 6, the member l2 is free to move between the two dotted-line positions of the handle' I4 shown in Fig. 4, since the curved surfaces 45 of the plungers 42 will barely clear the surfaces 36 of the latch elements. If the handle Ill is, then, returned to the solid-line position and looked in place by shifting the pin 58 to the position of Figs, l, 4, and 5, counterclockwise rotation of a latch, under the influence of a hook being entered in its socket, will cause the surface 3G to cooperate with the surface l5 by a camming action to depress the associated plunger 42, 41, 50, or 53 until the extreme end of the surface 36 clears the plunger. Thereupon, the spring associated with the plunger will cause the plunger to be projected to the position of Fig. 2, wherein said plunger will engage the surface 31 (et cetera) of its associated latch to hold such latch in hook-retaining position.

It will be clear on inspection that one or more additional latch assemblies may be incorporated in the connector if it is desired to connect more than four harness straps.

I prefer to close the cavity Il by means of a, cover plate 63 having a peripheral ange 64 snug-` ly tting a peripheral surface 65 on the body |0, said cover being held in place by screws 66 or the like. Of course, the flange 54 will be notched, as at 61, at each latch station to permit movement of the latches to the position illustrated in Fig. 6.

I claim as my invention:

1. A quick-release connector comprising a body, a member journalled for oscillation therein, a plurality of latch elements journalled in said body for oscillation about axes transverse to the axis of said member, and blocker means associated with said member and positionable therewith, at times, to block said elements against movement about their axes of oscillation toward latch-release position, but movable with said vmember out of blocking relation with certain of said elements.

2. A quick-release connector for a plurality of hooks comprising a body formed with a plurality of perimetrally-spaced slots, a latch element mounted in each of said slots for oscillation about an axis, each latch-element being formed to provide a surface movable, upon such oscillation, into and out of position to engage and retain one of such hooks in its slot, a member mounted in said body for oscillation about an axis normal to the plane of said latch element axes, and blocker means associated with said member and positionable therewith, at times, to block said elements against movement out of retaining posi- Qassam-r11;

tionrbut `movablewith saidtmemb'enoutrgoi :blocksI ing-crelationzvvitincertain1` fxsaidielementss.

3. In combination;azbodyzhayingt perimetralaI lysopenings.: socken, Aai latcbxelementi.mounted; inc saidrsocken:foroscillatiorraboutaan; axisatraverse me themouthiot saidtsockets:saidelernent-:beinss forme dv wither-noten :openingsthrouglr said mouths1 atztimes fand, attimesslccated'iwithinfzsaid sooketr and: closed .by ,aswell `or fsaidcbodyrsaidl incitan-blee ingada-ptedr -tosreceiver:assecurlngcdevi-caz blocker;- 105.

meallsrinaisaidcxbody;,andimeansf for, sluiting ,saidz blocker? meansrinto fand; outaoi; positiomto blocksJ said latch element against movementcout:,otits;` lastg-mentiorled;y position.`

4: A, quickfreleaseconnectent or arpluralityvotf 155- for oscillatory movement. inl tire.. linel of. suena. 2m,

movement of itstassociated hook-ruiter` andsout; ci. J ho-okfretainingg position, and; blocker,l means in;` saidbody;l adaptada, in; one position,` to; block. all-- of said latch elements againstr movement e out ,l

orihookeretainingtposition; andishiftable to. re- 25;

leasecertainioi said latchelementss 5: Aquick-releaseii connector `for-af plurality; or: hooks, comprisin as, body?. ai member: centrallylournallediinnsaid body,xsaidsboclywbeing-formeda to@ proviclef. af; plurality?. of; perimetrallyeopening; n-`

sockets -radia-tingdrorn thafaxis ,ot i said 'amemb'er ,L and@ into` 5^ and' out c, of which rsad r; hooks l may: lbe s moved-,1, a; latch elementi pir/totally mounted; in: each orsaid 'socketsfior oscillation aboutla trans.-` radialaxis finto audzoukof ibook-retaining `posi.- .l tion,` each ot saidilatchgelements meine; formed; to l provide-,- a Asurf-ace;l substantiallr. radial 1 with. i respect tosa-idmember; andisaid",member,'provid-A ingsfsurfaces coOpcrablewitlrfsaid latch surfaces.

at times, toghold said'A latchesiagainst movement out of; hookeretalningrpositom. said-:memberfbengwshi-ftablef aboutf its; axis` to '.1 removefVv its said z surfaces Iiromcooperative.,relation,yvfithcertain 10i i said :latch elements.v

6:, A quickfrelease; connectorior; a; pluralityfot hooks, comprising', a1: body-,1 a5.. member centrally jgurnalledqinp-sa-id body: rS aidzb odyvbeina .'formed; to provide af. plurality-:f of: perimetrallyfopening. socketsradiatingrfrom tldeeaxisaof said member and into and out of Which said hooks may be moved, a latchaelement.pivotallysmounted in each osaid sockets for oscillation about, a trans-radial axis into and out of hookretaininglposition,l eachof said latch elements being formed to provide a surface substantially-radial with respect to said member,-and said member providing surfaces cooperable with said'latch surfaces, at times, to hold said latches against movement from hookretaining position to hook-releasing position but ineffective to prevent movement of said latches from hook-releasing position to hook-retaining position, said member being shiftable about its axis to remove its said surfaces from cooperative relation with certain of said latch elements.

7. A quick-release connector for a plurality of hooks, comprising a body, a member centrally iournalled in said body, said body being formed to provide a plurality of perimetrally-opening sockets radiating from the axis of said member and into and out of which said hooks may be moved, a latch element pivotally mounted in each of said sockets for oscillation about a trans-radial axis into and out of hook-retaining position, each of said latch elements being formed to provide said member; and: ay plurality :oirradially projects-:- Y ingielements .carried by saidgmemb'erfand located-,1A infone :,position; of Isaldi member, to, iengageasaido latch'surfaces tofblockimovement off said latchey elements to hook-releasing position.

8u A vaiuole-.releaseI` conneotor-.for ia. .plurality .of hooks. comprisingt-aribody, ,ailmemberzfcentrallv; journalledfin: lsaid.` ;body,: saideb ody fbeingsformed; to; provide Aas, plurality f ofnperimetrally-openingr sockets. :radiating from the taxis; 0f. fsai-dimemberl andi. into 'i and :out :of fwlsiichfA said@ hooks :may .be movediaglateh element pivotally mountedinfeacm ofJ said-sockets for oscillation.` about fa: trans-radiali.x axisfintorandout of. hookeretaining positionnsaidr: member being;disposed entirely-v outside ithe paths f. oztmovernent` :of .said latch-f, elements, .eachi of, 'said latch .elements `fleeing:formed-to. providel a :surface-s substantial-lytradi'al. Withe respect `to. said member; and a plurality zof, plungers ,l-radiallyunovlably tears riedzby said4 membereandradaptedg; when? radially'f projected.` andfwhens said `.mern'loer lis. intona posit;v4 tom; to. :engage s .saidv surfaeessofi a said= zlatchsele ments: ftozholdmaidi latchaelements. `against movies. mentufronrllocksretainingpositionsaidiplungers-fY being qracliallyzretractible f to. positions outside the l. pathsiof.movement:or-saiddatchelementsa 9. `Ainuiclr'-:release connector :for .-a izplurality tofs-1; hooks; Comprisingsallbody, .afimember' centrally r jour-nailed"zinzsai-d;body,xsaid;body fbeingiformed to, provide aeplurality-pofl perimetrallizecpeningeV Sockets radiating; from; ther axisofifsaidmemberz and into.: andczoutsoi,.whichusaid;:hooksrmay'ibei movedyy aslatchfelement.pivotallymnunted in cache of; saidfsocketsfor :osc'llatonrabouti atl-.trans --radialvy axis;-A into.,y andp out:-` or@V hooki-retaining fpositiong'z said-` member beingf Adisposed :entirely-,outside the paths of movement of said latch elementsseaoh: ofi said- -latchielernents being rformed:..toeprovide az pcripherat cam., surfaoe terminating :im a sure face substantally;v radiali withi l respects tm,` said.: member,A andi as pluralityy on; plungers g; radial-1yr movably.. carriedr bv fSaid ,member and` adapted-s.: when` radially projected.iandsivhen'g said; membem in OnezDQsition-tolengage Sadsradial surfaces: ofi said latch elements tohold saidrlatch` element-s.,` against movement :from hook.-retainingl positiolni.4 said flatch camv l surfaces beingizcooperabletwill-hz: saidiplungers;v when` saldi member :is in, ,saidl ,ones position, ,to cause iretreat lof i.saidplungers during-g movement',L oflgsald ,latchuelements -;f1^o`m hooks.l releasing-E positionl tmhQOk-retaining positionig,

l0.` Afquickfreleasesconnectonforsalpluralitypt i hooks,L comprising -a,.body, `a imemberf, centrallyg. journaliedfin-.said' body, said. body-,loeing` formede toi provide asplur-ality ofjperimetrallyeopeninge sockets .vra-diating, gfromj .thefiaxis .of said-members andpintofandffout off, which ,said hooks :mayybeg moved; la latch. element, pivotallymountedinxeach; of said sockets for oscillation about a transradial axis into and out of hook-retaining position, said member being disposed entirely outside the paths of movement of said latch elements, each of said latch elements being `formed to provide a peripheral cam surface terminating at one end in a surface substantially radial with respect to said member, and a plurality of plungers carried by said member, radially reciprocable with respect thereto, and resiliently urged outwardly, each of said plungers having a surface disposed, when said member is in one position and when said plunger is radially projected, to engage said radial surface of its latch element to hold the latter against movement from hook-retaining position, and each of said plungers having a fura surface substantially radial with respect to ther surface substantially coinciding, when said i member is in its said one position and said plunger is radially projected, with the position occupied by the opposite end of said latch cam surface when said latch is in hook-releasing position.

11. A quick-release connector mechanism comprising a, body having a laterally-opening socket therein adapted to receive a hook, a latch element pivotally mounted in said socket, said latch element being provided with a radially-opening notch and being oscillable between a position in which the mouth of said notch is guarded by a wall of said socket and a position in which the mouth of said notch opens through the mouth of -said socket, the periphery of said latch element further being formed to provide a surface having a portion progressively retreating from said axis and terminating in a substantially radial portion, blocker means mounted in said body and providing a surface cooperable with said last-named latch element surface portion, when said latch element notch is in its first-mentioned position, to hold said latch element against movement toward its second-mentioned position, and providing a surface cooperatively positioned with respect to said retreating portion of said latch element surface when said latch element notch is in its second-mentioned position, said retreating portion of said latch element surface operatively cooperating with said last-mentioned surface of said blocker means as said latch elementI is moved to shift its notch from its second-mentioned position to its first-mentioned position, to move said blocker means temporarily away from the axis of said latch element, and means for shifting said blocker means out of the path of said latch element surface.

l2. A quick-release connector mechanism comprising a body having a, laterally-opening socket therein adapted to receive a hook, a latch element pivotally mounted in said socket, said latch element being provided with a radially-opening notch and being oscillable between a position in which the mouth of said notch is guarded by a wall of said socket and a position in which the mouth of said notch opens through the mouth of said socket, means resiliently biasing said latch element toward its second-mentioned position, the periphery of said latch element further being formed to provide a surface having a portion progressively retreating from said axis and terminating in a substantially radial portion, blocker means mounted in said body and providing a surface cooperable with said last-named latch element surface portion, when said latch element notch is in its first-mentioned position, to hold said latch element against movement toward its second-mentioned position, and providing a surface cooperatively positioned with respect to' said retreating portion of said latch element surface when said latch element notch is in its second-mentioned position, said retreating portion of said latch element surface operatively cooperating with said last-mentioned surface of said blocker means as said latch element is moved to shift its notch from its second-mentioned position to its first-mentioned position, to move said blocker means temporarily away from the axis of said latch element, and means for shifting said blocker means out of the path of said latch element surface.

13. A quick-release connector mechanism comprising a, body having a laterally-opening socket therein adapted to receive a hook, a latch element pivotally mounted in said socket, said latch element being provided with a radially-opening notch and being oscillable between a position in which the mouth of said notch is guarded by a wall of said socket and a position in which the mouth of said notch opens through the mouth of said socket, the periphery of said latch element further being formed to provide a surface having a portion progressively retreating from said axis and terminating in a substantially radial portion, blocker means mounted in said body and providing a surface -cooperable with said last-named latch element surface portion, when said latch element notch is in its first-mentioned position, to hold said latch element against movement toward its second-mentioned position, and providing a surface cooperatively positioned with respect to said retreating portion of said latch element surface when said latch element notch is in its second-mentioned position, said retreat- 'ing portion of said latch element surface operatively cooperating With said last-mentioned surface of said blocker means as said latch element is moved to shift its notch from its second-mentioned position to its first-mentioned position, to move said blocker means temporarily away from the axis of said latch element, means for shifting said blocker means out of the path of said latch element surface, and shiftable means operative, in one position, to prevent operation of said last-named means and, in another position, to limit the degree of operation thereof.

LAWRENCE M. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kuhlemann et al. Feb. 15, 1938 Number 

